BY SOLILOQUY AND PRAYER. blessing is earnestly sought for to accompany such application. 21. (1) By soliloquy or a pleading the case with thyself; thou must in thy meditation quicken thy ,own heart. Enter into a serious debate with it. Plead with it in the most moving and affecting language, and urge it with the most powerful and weighty arguments. It is what holy men of God have practised in all ages. Thus David, " Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, -and my God. "($) And again, "Bless the Lord, O my soul ! and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul ! and for- get not all his benefits," &c.(t) This soliloquy is to be made use of according to the several affections of the soul, and according to its several necessities. It is a preaching to one's self; for as every good master or father of a family is a good preacher to his own family; so every good Christian is a good preacher to his own soul. Therefore the very same method which a mi- nister should use in his preaching to others, every Christian should endeavour after in speaking to him- self. Observe the matter and manner of the most heart-affecting minister ; let him be as a pattern for your imitation ; and the same way that he takes with the hearts of his people, do thou also take with thy own heart. Do this in thy heavenly contemplation ; explain to thyself the things on which thou dost medi- tate ; confirm thy faith in them from scripture ;- and then apply them to thyself, according to their nature, and thy own necessity. There is no need to object against this, from a sense of thy own inability. Doth not God command thee, to teach the scriptures diligently unto thy children, and talk. of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up ?(u) And if thou must have some ability to teach thy children, much more to teach thyself; and if thou canst talk of divine things to others, why not also to thy own heart? (s) Ps. xlü. 11. (t) Ps. ciii. 1, 5. (u) Deut. vi. 7.
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